http://hdl.handle.net/11089/28384 2026-04-05T22:18:19Z 2026-04-05T22:18:19Z Nacheva, Ilina http://hdl.handle.net/11089/29148 2019-07-03T01:21:43Z 2019-01-01T00:00:00Z

Self-Enhancement and Helping Behavior: Motivations of Volunteers in Registration and Reception Centers for Refugees in Bulgaria Nacheva, Ilina Helping behavior can be triggered by complex motivators, a number of them self-related. Investigation of this issue can foster a better understanding of such current social phenomena as volunteerism within the context of intensive migration in Europe. The research presented here focuses on individuals who applied for volunteer positions in the Registration and Reception Centers for Refugees in Bulgaria. Document analysis was conducted concerning 128 applications for participation in an ongoing volunteer project during the period 2013-2016. The explicit motivations of candidates indicate that groups of motives related to self-enhancement are among the key triggers for volunteers. These include a desire to foster social change and the effort to develop a positive self-image, both of which are associated with the role of volunteer.

2019-01-01T00:00:00Z Kacperczyk, Anna http://hdl.handle.net/11089/29147 2021-06-29T09:20:30Z 2019-01-01T00:00:00Z

Between Individual and Collective Actions: The Introduction of Innovations in the Social World of Climbing Kacperczyk, Anna This article, which is based upon the findings of a seven-year research project concerning the social world of climbing, discusses climbing as an organized social practice that possesses a strong historical dimension and collective character. It examines the relation between individual participants and that social world as a whole, and it accepts that an individual’s personal life may be inscribed in the development and formation of that world in two ways. These are 1) a given social world imposes the behavioral patterns, normative rules, institutional schemes of actions, and careers upon participants that characterize their identities and actions; and 2) the actions of an individual participant trigger significant change in that world. I am particularly interested in those unique situations in which when a participant induces a change that affects a given social world (or a sub-world) as a whole, and discuss two examples of this relation, namely, the history of designing and creating climbing equipment, and setting new standards of climbing performance. Briefly stated, innovative solutions are born in conjunction with particular climbing actions that are either promoted or hindered depending on whether or not the vision of the primary activity associated with those solutions was accepted by the majority of participants. The dynamics and transformations of the social world in question thus rely upon the activities of exceptional individuals who, as pioneers, innovators, and visionaries, attain mastery in performing the primary activity of that world and set new standards of performance for others. A new mode of acting—in order to be collectively adopted—must be accepted as both valuable and morally justified by all participants.

2019-01-01T00:00:00Z van den Scott, Jeffrey van den Scott, Lisa-Jo K. http://hdl.handle.net/11089/29146 2019-07-03T01:21:45Z 2019-01-01T00:00:00Z

Imagined Engagements: Interpreting the Musical Relationship with the Canadian North van den Scott, Jeffrey; van den Scott, Lisa-Jo K. In this article, we extend Benedict Anderson’s notion of imagined communities to examine the idea of an “imagined engagement” between or among people and groups that have not met. These imagined engagements include a blurring of temporal lines, as one group “interacts” with another’s past, present, or future. Imagined engagements are a form of failed interaction, and, as such, have their place in Goffman’s interaction order. We argue that musical language can comprise a meeting point of these engagements. We then demonstrate how two composers—one historic and one contemporary—have used the musical cultures of an Othered people, with a focus on Indigenous America, in an attempt to create a sense of community and common ties between the West and these Others—a sense of community in which the Othered have no part.

2019-01-01T00:00:00Z Morriss, Lisa Smith, Greg http://hdl.handle.net/11089/29145 2019-07-03T01:21:46Z 2019-01-01T00:00:00Z

The Story of the Nearest Relative: Shifts in Footing in Dramaturgical Replayings Morriss, Lisa; Smith, Greg This discussion assesses the utility of Goffman’s thinking about conversational interaction for illuminating features of a research interview between one of the two authors (LM) and a fellow social work professional. We use this case to explore aspects of Goffman’s contribution to the sociological understanding of spoken interaction. While many of his ideas offer rich sources of guidance for interactionist and qualitative researchers, the value of Goffman’s (1974) concept of “dramaturgical replaying” has been overlooked. We trace the leading themes of Goffman’s thinking about conversational interaction and show how they can provide an analysis of the story of the “Nearest Relative” that is attentive to its live, improvised enactment. Goffman’s approach to storytelling is shown to be distinct from but complementary to conversation analytic approaches to storytelling.

2019-01-01T00:00:00Z